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Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man(A)

Jesus got into a boat and went back across the ·lake [sea] to his own town. [L And look/T behold] Some people brought to Jesus a man who was paralyzed and lying on a ·mat [cot; bed]. When Jesus saw ·the faith of these people [L their faith], he said to the paralyzed man, “·Be encouraged [Have courage; Take heart], ·young man [son; child]. Your sins are forgiven.”

Some of the ·teachers of the law [scribes] said to themselves, “·This man speaks as if he were God. That is blasphemy [L This man blasphemes]!”

·Knowing [Perceiving] their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why are you thinking evil ·thoughts [L in your hearts]? [L For] Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to tell him, ‘Stand up and walk’? But ·I will prove to you [L so that you may know] that the Son of Man [C a title for the Messiah; Dan. 7:13–14] has authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Stand up, ·take [pick up] your ·mat [cot; bed], and go home.” And the man stood up and went home. When the ·people [crowds] saw this, they were ·amazed [filled with awe; afraid] and ·praised [glorified] God for giving ·power like this [such authority] to ·human beings [mankind; C the language echoes the Son of Man title just used by Jesus (v. 6), which the crowds misunderstand to mean simply “a human being”].

Jesus Chooses Matthew(B)

When Jesus was ·leaving [walking along], he saw a man named Matthew sitting in the tax collector’s booth [C probably a tariff booth for taxing goods in transit]. Jesus said to him, “Follow me,” and he stood up and followed Jesus.

10 As Jesus was ·having dinner [L reclining; C around a low table; the posture for a formal banquet or dinner party] at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ·ate [L reclined together] with Jesus and his ·followers [disciples]. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked Jesus’ ·followers [disciples], “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors [C despised because they worked for the Roman rulers and were notorious for corruption and extortion] and sinners?”

12 When Jesus heard them, he said, “It is not the healthy people who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 Go and learn what this means: ‘I ·want [desire; require; am pleased by] ·kindness [compassion; mercy] ·more than I want [L not] animal sacrifices [Hos. 6:6].’ [L For] I did not come to ·invite [call] ·good people [the righteous; C meaning the “self-righteous” who feel no need to repent] but to invite [call] sinners [C those who recognize their need to repent].”

Jesus’ Followers Are Criticized(C)

14 Then the ·followers [disciples] of John [C the Baptist] came to Jesus and said, “Why do we and the Pharisees often fast [C giving up eating for spiritual purposes], but your ·followers [disciples] don’t?”

15 Jesus answered, “The ·friends of the bridegroom [or wedding guests; L children of the wedding hall] ·are not sad [L cannot mourn] while he is with them [C Jesus is referring to himself; John 3:29; Rev. 19:7]. But the ·time [L days] will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and then they will fast.

16 “No one sews a patch of unshrunk [C new] cloth over a hole in an old ·coat [garment]. If he does, the patch will shrink and pull away from the ·coat [garment], making the ·hole [tear] worse. 17 Also, people never pour new wine into old ·leather bags [wineskins]. Otherwise, the ·bags [wineskins] will ·break [burst; C because the fermenting wine expands], the wine will spill, and the ·wine bags [wineskins] will be ruined. But people always pour new wine into ·new [fresh] ·wine bags [wineskins]. Then both ·will continue to be good [are preserved].”

Jesus Gives Life to a Dead Girl and Heals a Sick Woman(D)

18 While Jesus was saying these things, a ·leader of the synagogue [L leader; official; ruler; C Mark 5:22 identifies him as a synagogue leader] came to him. He ·bowed down [knelt] before Jesus and said, “My daughter has just died. But if you come and lay your hand on her, she will live again.” 19 So Jesus and his ·followers [disciples] stood up and ·went with [L followed] him.

20 ·Then [L And look/T behold,] a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years [C probably a chronic menstrual disorder] came behind Jesus and touched the ·edge [or tassels; see Num. 15:38–39] of his ·coat [cloak; garment]. 21 [L For] She was thinking, “If I can just touch his clothes, I will ·be healed [get well; be saved].”

22 Jesus turned and saw the woman and said, “·Be encouraged [Have courage; Take heart], ·dear woman [L daughter]. ·You are made well because you believed [Your faith has saved/healed you].” And the woman was ·healed [made well; saved] from that moment on.

23 Jesus continued along with the ·leader [ruler; official] and went into his house. There he saw the ·funeral musicians [L pipe/flute players] and ·many people crying [a noisy crowd]. 24 Jesus said, “·Go away [Get out; Leave]. [L For] The girl is not dead, only asleep.” But the people ·laughed at [ridiculed] him. 25 After the crowd had been ·thrown [sent; put] out of the house, Jesus went into the girl’s room and took hold of her hand, and she ·stood up [arose]. 26 The ·news [report] about this spread ·all around the area [L throughout that whole land/region].

Jesus Heals Two Blind Men(E)

27 When Jesus was leaving there, two blind men followed him. They cried out, “·Have mercy [Take pity] on us, Son of David [C a title for the Messiah, a descendant of King David; 2 Sam. 7:11–16]!”

28 After Jesus went inside, the blind men went with him. He asked the men, “Do you believe that I can ·make you see again [L do this]?”

They answered, “Yes, Lord.”

29 Then Jesus touched their eyes and said, “·Because you believe [L According to your faith], ·it will happen [L let it be done for you].” 30 Then ·the men were able to see [L their eyes were opened]. But Jesus warned them strongly, saying, “·Don’t tell anyone [L See that no one knows] about this.” 31 But the blind men left and spread the news about Jesus ·all around that area [L throughout that whole land/region].

Jesus Heals a Demon Possessed Man(F)

32 When the two men were leaving, [L look; behold] some people brought to Jesus ·another man who could not talk because he had a demon in him [a mute, demon-possessed man]. 33 After Jesus ·forced the demon to leave the man [drove/cast out the demon], he ·was able [began] to speak. The crowd was amazed and said, “·We have never seen anything like this [L Nothing like this has ever been seen/happened] in Israel.”

34 But the Pharisees said, “He forces [drives; casts] demons out by the power of the ·prince [ruler] of demons.”

The Harvest Is Great(G)

35 Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, ·preaching [proclaiming] the ·Good News [Gospel] about the kingdom, and healing all kinds of diseases and sicknesses. 36 When he saw the crowds, he ·felt sorry [had compassion] for them because they were ·hurting [distressed; confused; harassed] and ·helpless [discouraged; dejected], like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Jesus said to his ·followers [disciples], “·There are many people to harvest [L The harvest is great/large] but ·there are only a few workers [the workers/laborers are few]. 38 So pray to the Lord ·who owns [who is in charge of; L of] the harvest, that he will send more ·workers [laborers] ·to gather [L into] his harvest.”

A Paralytic Healed

And Jesus, getting into a boat, crossed over the Sea of Galilee and came to [Capernaum] His own city.

They brought to Him a man who was paralyzed, lying on a stretcher. Seeing their [active] faith [springing from confidence in Him], Jesus said to the paralytic, “Do not be afraid, son; your sins are forgiven [the penalty is paid, the guilt removed, and you are declared to be in right standing with God].”(A) And some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man blasphemes [by claiming the rights and prerogatives of God]!” But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven and the penalty paid,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? [Both are possible for God; both are impossible for man.] But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority and the power on earth to forgive sins”—then He said to the paralytic, “Get up, pick up your stretcher and go home.” And he got up and went home [healed and forgiven]. When the crowds saw this, they were awestruck, and glorified God and praised Him, who had given such authority and power to men.

Matthew Called

As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew (Levi) sitting in the tax collector’s booth; and He said to him, “Follow Me [as My disciple, accepting Me as your Master and Teacher and walking the same path of life that I walk].” And Matthew got up and followed Him.(B)

10 Then as Jesus was reclining at the table in Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and [a]sinners [including non-observant Jews] came and ate with Him and His disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked His disciples, “Why does your Master eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 But when Jesus heard this, He said, “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but [only] those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this [Scripture] means: ‘I desire compassion [for those in distress], and not [animal] sacrifice,’ for I did not come to call [to repentance] the [self-proclaimed] righteous [who see no need to change], but sinners [those who recognize their sin and actively seek forgiveness].”(C)

The Question about Fasting

14 Then the disciples of John [the Baptist] came to Jesus, asking, “Why do we and the Pharisees often fast [as a religious exercise], but Your disciples do not fast?” 15 And Jesus replied to them, “Can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16 But no one puts a piece of unshrunk (new) cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and a worse tear results. 17 Nor is new wine put into old [b]wineskins [that have lost their elasticity]; otherwise the wineskins burst, and the [fermenting] wine spills and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, so both are preserved.”

Miracles of Healing

18 While He was saying these things to them, a ruler (synagogue official) entered [the house] and kneeled down and worshiped Him, saying, “My daughter has just now died; but come and lay Your hand on her, and she will live.”(D) 19 Jesus got up and began to accompany the ruler, with His disciples.

20 Then a woman who had suffered from a hemorrhage for twelve years came up behind Him and touched the [tassel] fringe of His outer robe;(E) 21 for she had been saying to herself, “If I only touch His outer robe, I will be healed.” 22 But Jesus turning and seeing her said, “Take courage, daughter; your [personal trust and confident] faith [in Me] has made you well.” And at once the woman was [completely] healed.

23 When Jesus came to the ruler’s house, and saw the flute players [who were professional, hired mourners] and the [grieving] crowd making an uproar, 24 He said, “Go away; for the girl is not dead, but is sleeping.” And they laughed and jeered at Him. 25 But when the crowd had been sent outside, Jesus went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. 26 And the news about this spread throughout all that district.

27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed Him, screaming loudly, “Have mercy and compassion on us, [c]Son of David (Messiah)!” 28 When He went into the house, the blind men came up to Him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe [with a deep, abiding trust] that I am able to do this?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.” 29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith [your trust and confidence in My power and My ability to heal] it will be done to you.” 30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus [d]sternly warned them: “See that no one knows this!” 31 But they went out and spread the news about Him throughout that whole district.

32 While they were going away, a mute, demon-possessed man was brought to Jesus. 33 And when the demon was driven out [by Jesus], the mute man spoke; and the crowds wondered in amazement, saying, “Never before has anything like this [miracle] been seen in Israel.” 34 But the Pharisees were saying, “He casts out the demons by [the power of] the ruler of demons.”

35 Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages [in Galilee], teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news (gospel) of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness [His words and His works reflecting His Messiahship].

36 When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion and pity for them, because they were dispirited and distressed, like sheep without a shepherd.(F) 37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is [indeed] plentiful, but the workers are few. 38 So pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 9:10 This description would include non-observant Jews, those who rejected Pharisaic ordinances and interpretations of the Law, as well as others who flaunted the rules of morality and civil law.
  2. Matthew 9:17 A skin was a bag made from the skin of an animal. New wine was always put in a new bag so that the bag would stretch as the wine continued to ferment, and then the bag would harden. An old bag would burst if new wine was put in it.
  3. Matthew 9:27 A common reference to the Messiah as a descendant of David.
  4. Matthew 9:30 In Greek this term suggests an emotional indignation or violent displeasure. It occurs five times in the NT (four times in reference to Jesus’ words or feelings): Matt 9:30; Mark 1:43; 14:5; John 11:33, 38.